The Netherlands has participated in Expos since the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. In 1928, the country signed the Convention of Paris, becoming a founding Member State of the BIE.

Over the years, the Netherlands has actively participated in both World and Specialised Expos, with pavilions being awarded for their interpretation of the theme at both Expo 2005 Aichi and Expo 2008 Zaragoza.

In 1960, the city of Rotterdam hosted the first Horticultural Expo recognised by the BIE. Since then, five category A1 International Horticultural Exhibitions have been organised in the Netherlands under the name “Floriade”. In 2022, the country will host its seventh Horticultural Expo in Almere, located within the Amsterdam metropolitan area.